Dr. Seuss’s poem on “The Waiting Place” accurately describes the mentality of many people, including myself as I often live with anticipation, ‘waiting’ for something…
“You can get so confused
that you’ll start in to race
down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace
and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space,
headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
The Waiting Place…
…for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or waiting around for a Yes or a No
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.
Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a sting of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.
NO!
That’s not for you!
Somehow you’ll escape
all that waiting and staying.
You’ll find the bright places
where Boom Bands are playing…”
Can you relate to the poem?
How often do you find yourself waiting?
You CAN find bright places by shifting your focus, but it’s easier said than done.
ASKING QUESTIONS is a way of shifting your mentality and can be helpful in getting out of “The Waiting Place.”
“Problems that remain persistently insoluble should always be suspected as questions asked in the wrong way.”
Alan Watts
One of the most practical series of questions, with an example, you can ask yourself to wait less, be more productive, and enjoy life more is:
1) “What am I waiting for?”
Example – “Retirement so that I can enjoy life.”
Then Ask:
2) “What can I do instead of waiting?”
“Instead of waiting for retirement to begin enjoying life I can pursue interests and hobbies in my free time and who knows, maybe I’ll get paid to do something I love.”
Or Ask:
3) “What can I do while I wait?”
“While I wait for retirement I can begin thinking and planning things I want to do when I retire. Maybe I can even add some of these activities throughout the work week now.”
This series of questions can be used to relieve your waiting in any situation.
Asking yourself the right questions helps shift your perspective.
When you ask yourself negative questions you get negative answers, like “Why do bad things keep happening to me?” Even if you involuntarily ask that question your brain will subconsciously look for answers.
When you ask yourself questions that focus more on solving problems you have you will solve your problems and/or at least cultivate a forward-thinking perspective.
“…With banner flip-flapping,
once more you’ll ride high!
Ready for anything under the sky.
Ready because you’re that kind of a guy! (or girl)
Oh, the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done!
There are points to be scored. There are games to be won.
And the magical things you can do with that ball
will make you the winning-best winner of all.”
Dr. Suess
(Continued from “The Waiting Place” poem above.)
So are you ready to live a life with less waiting?
More joy, and more action, more love, and less hating?
^I was feeling inspired by Dr. Suess.
I hope you have an awesome day and continue to ask yourself innovative, problem-solving questions!
With Ken Thompson 